1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to generating documents using a computer application, and in particular to inserting a data object like a mathematical formula or special characters like Greek characters into a computer-generated document as for example a text document.
2. Description of Related Art
Computer word processing applications typically are used to generate a document, referred to as a computer-generated document, that may contain text data, tables, diagrams, etc. and often mathematical formulae or special characters like Greek characters. Mathematical formulae and special characters are particularly important for documents like scientific articles and the like. Similarly, HTML Web page generators generate a document that is effectively a text-based document.
For creating a mathematical formula within a text document 100 (FIG. 1), so called formula editors were used. Typically, the formula editor was opened from within the computer word processing application by clicking on a menu bar icon, or alternatively using a menu.
The formula editor contained a large number of displayed key fields and list boxes representing different elements of mathematical formulae like brackets, integrals, fraction bars, matrices, so forth. For inserting special characters, like for example the Greek character Σ, it was necessary to enter a list box containing the special characters.
The user created the desired formula 101 using these keys and list boxes. After having completed the formula, the user returned to the original document and pasted the formula as an imported object into the document. If the user recognized an error in the formula, the user again opened the formula editor, corrected the error, and returned to the original document.
Using a formula editor, it was possible to create nearly every desired mathematical formula; however, the operation was complicated and time consuming in particular for simple formulae like simple fractions or square roots, which appeared frequently in a text document. Editing of the formula always required entering the formula editor and subsequently returning into the original document.
To simplify the entry of formulas, some formula editors permitted the use of script like phrases that the formula editor converted to the corresponding mathematical expression. However, while this assisted in entering a formula in some situations by minimizing the use of key fields and list boxes, the general problem of having to utilize the formula editor persisted.
In an attempt to minimize some of the entry and exit issues, it was known to select an insert option from a menu bar of an application and the formula editor capability was opened so that the user could insert and edit a formula without leaving the application, only the menus and the object bars were changed. After the formula editor capability was used to enter the data object, double clicking on the embedded object launched the formula editor capability so that the formula could be edited. Again, this was done without leaving the application.